SoCalCycling.com

wongwongway · Joined: 13 Dec 2005 Posts: 65

Now that you've read the previous message... here are the
2006 Southern California cyclocross categories:

Elite Men1/2/3 -- formerly Men's A
Elite Women1/2/3 -- formerly Women's A
Junior Men 10-14
Junior Women 10-14
Junior Men 15-18
Junior Women 15-18
Master Men 35+
Master Men 45+
Master Men 55+
Master Women 35+
Men 3/4 -- formerly Men's B/C
Women 3/4 -- formerly Women's B
Open Singlespeed -- Yeah baby... bring it on!

Men 4 is a new category or could be viewed formerly as D and is also offered at most events on the race calendar. It is intended for newer and one-day licensed riders based more on fitness and not form. Many racers are new to cross.

Racing Age: A rider's 2006/2007 racing age, according to UCI
5.1.001 The category to which the license-holder belongs on 1 January of the civil year following will be used for his participation in events for the whole season.

or in other words,

A rider's racing age for all categories is determined by his/her age on December 31, 2007.

bike_geek · Joined: 12 Sep 2006 Posts: 1 Location: OC

So what happend to the C's? It looks like all of us middle of the pack C racers will have to get killed by the B's or killed in the 35+ if we're old enough. It originally seemed like the USCF catagories were going to be a good idea but all it's done is discourage me. Am I the only one that feels this way? Mad

CC Rider · Joined: 22 Jul 2006 Posts: 63

[quote="wongwongway"]Now that you've read the previous message... here are the
2006 Southern California cyclocross categories:

Elite Men1/2/3 -- formerly Men's A
Elite Women1/2/3 -- formerly Women's A
Junior Men 10-14
Junior Women 10-14
Junior Men 15-18
Junior Women 15-18
Master Men 35+
Master Men 45+
Master Men 55+
Master Women 35+
Men 3/4 -- formerly Men's B/C
Women 3/4 -- formerly Women's B
Open Singlespeed -- Yeah baby... bring it on!

Racing Age: A rider's 2006/2007 racing age, according to UCI
5.1.001 The category to which the license-holder belongs on 1 January of the civil year following will be used for his participation in events for the whole season.

or in other words,

A rider's racing age for all categories is determined by his/her age on December 31, 2007.[/quote]

Who came up with the Jr Cats. How is it even fair that a 15year old will be racing with a 18year old. If I am reading your post correctly a 14 road racing age will be racing against 18year olds if they go by how old they are in 07. Correct me if I'm wrong but for Jrs it is your age that you are for worlds not at the end of the year. Please clarify

wongwongway · Joined: 13 Dec 2005 Posts: 65

The split in the Junior categories is an improvement from years' past where all Juniors 10-18 raced and were scored together - boys and girls. At least now there are four categories (2-boys, 2-girls) so the 10 year old does not have to race the 18 year old.

Hopefully we can build cyclocross participation to break the categories down even further.

Thanks for your response!

bmbcyclist · Joined: 04 Dec 2005 Posts: 541 Location: EARTH

I know of some 14 year old females that kick but on the road and beat riders a lot older. Sometimes age has nothing to do with it.

I do understand why categories can be limited, there is only so much time in a day, and every race can't please every body. Variety is key.

CC Rider · Joined: 22 Jul 2006 Posts: 63

[quote="bmbcyclist"]I know of some 14 year old females that kick but on the road and beat riders a lot older. Sometimes age has nothing to do with it.

I do understand why categories can be limited, there is only so much time in a day, and every race can't please every body. Variety is key.[/quote]

Thats a lame comment. To say the girls and the boys are the same is lame. There is a huge difference with the 18 year old boys in respect to the 18 year old girls. There are a handfull of 14 girls that can hang with the older JR girls because the quaility of the racing is lacking. When you look at our 17-18 jr boys they are competing at a near pro level. There is not a 14 year old boy in the country that would be able to keep up with the top 17-18 Jr boys. The level of racing and the quality is on another planet then the girls. But the reason you don't race the young Jr's with the old Jr's is the pressure you put on the young rider to push a bigger gear to keep up. There are no gear resrtictions in CX in the US. By pushing a bigger gear you will be doing premature damage to there developing bodies. The reason why our kids suck at worlds and in Europe is because we don't have restrictions and we let the old and young jrs race together. If we have the 14-15 jrs racing with the old jrs we should require restrictions. This is the way they do it in Europe. The groups should be broken into there respected jr group at the line. There is no point in the racing age rule if they are racing and scored in only two groups?? You can race them together at the same start time but seperate them. I don't accept the excuse that it is still better then when the all raced together. The sport is growing and there is some momentum and we should take advantage of the growth and do it right. This way we will not be doing damage to our young riders to please the few. If you need ideas I have white papers and case studies from USA Cycling on the damage that is caused because we let this happen. We have a chance to lead the rest of the country by doing it right. We have the largest talent pool in SoCal and we should take advantage of this. It will be more competitive if we mirror CX like road racing or even MTB. CX is the only cycling disipline we race like this.....

bmbcyclist · Joined: 04 Dec 2005 Posts: 541 Location: EARTH

redbike2001 · Joined: 10 Aug 2006 Posts: 265 Location: SoCal

Everyone racing CX will be using their current 2006 USA Cycling. Your racing age is on the license. It is the age you will be on Dec 31, 2006. If you are going to purchase a one-day license (juniors and Cat 4s only) or an annual license ($30 and expires on 12/31/06), your racing age will be your age on Dec 31, 2006.

That all applies to the typical crit. TT, and TT. For CX, the powers to be added a wrinkle. Your racing age for CX is your racing age that you will be on 01/01/2007. Meaning, everyone adds a year to whatever is on your license. So yes, if your license says your racing age is 14 in 2006, you will be racing 15 for 2006 CX races.

I don't agree with the rule, but it is not something that I can overrule.

Thanks

Eric

CC Rider · Joined: 22 Jul 2006 Posts: 63

[quote="bmbcyclist"]Welcome to America.....this ain't Europe.

There was one race in fact a 14 yr old girl beat the 15-16 yr old boys and the family complained because there grandson got beat by a girl because they raced girls and boys together.

And if you look at some of the ages of the recent fiesta island TT, some Young Juniors kicked butt in comparison to Older juniors....

There should be NO pressure. It is suppose to be FUN! At the young junior level, it should be to gain experience and have fun. To put Pro/Worlds pressure is ridiculous, this is what causes injury and burn out. (along with too big gears).

-My point is, when the young Jrs race against the older Jrs they will try to bet them. They will push harder then they need to go and try to keep up with the kids that are Worlds Quality. If you didn't know four kids from our area went to worlds this year in CX, Road, Track. On the road they all ride the same Jr gear so the racing and the times could be similar. In CX there are no gear resrictions and the older Jrs can push a bigger gear for the duration where a young Jr who is not as developed will try to ride at this pace in the same gear. There are two kids in Colorado that at 15 and 16 beat Chance everytime they raced. Both of those kids are having knee problems and may not race this year. Both of those kids were racing in adult gears, one of the kids went to worlds and were considered to be the next best talent from the US and it looks like one for sure is done and the other may not race this year. When you look at the small amount Jr riders there are this is a huge percentage. If two of our Jrs jacked there knees from pushing adult gears thats more then half the race!!
BTW-The times at the time trial wern't even close. The young Jrs and the old Jrs race a differnt distance. Besides this race is so late in the year all of the strong riders don't show. Alex, Juan, Justin, Ricky and Freddie Cruz, Brandon, half the jrs from SDBC, etc.......

bmbcyclist · Joined: 04 Dec 2005 Posts: 541 Location: EARTH

Might I ask who bought the BIG gears?

THis is when parents need to take some responsibility, keep them in restricted gears, knowing risk for injury is at stake.
Then if they still Beat the older juniors, good for them and they have developed fabulous leg speed!

Muckenthaler Cross (Rank 1.0)
Women Category 1-2-3
Place License Name Team SoCal Points
1 139753 Carolyn Popovic 0
2 207432 Coryn Rivera Major Motion Cycling Club 0 Junior
3 104462 Dorothy Wong Bicycle Johns Serious Cycling 0
4 147490 Mandy Eakins Velosport Racing 0
5 194774 Amy Bowen 0
6 30799 Carol Ruckle Team Redlands 0
7 101533 Elizabeth Gentry Team Pro Cyclery 0
8 202975 Mandy Gamble Bicycle Johns Serious Cycling 0

1fliprider · Joined: 14 Sep 2006 Posts: 1

I'm with Bike_Geek, what happen to the "C"s?

I have never placed in the top 10 of any C race. Which do I race?

Mens 3/4 will more than likely have a bunch of "B" riders from last year.

So not sure where to go.

Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks

Bonez · Joined: 05 Mar 2006 Posts: 17

From what I can tell, they done away with the public class (from what I remember was the D's) and combined it with the 4"s. It looks like the races are going to have a combined cat 3/4 race and a cat 4 race. So if you do the cat 4 race you will be racing with first time racers.

socalcyclist · Joined: 28 Dec 2005 Posts: 3

I hear what all of you saying about the change in categories, I feel it was more popular last year, when it allowed more to compete at different levels. Now they are doing away from it. Quote my words the race turnout this year will be SIGINIFICATLY LESS than last year due to this change. Same goes with the change in master categories as well.